WORLD BEAT
Fiddling with tradition
The Carolina Chocolate Drops adopt a more eclectic sonic mix on their second album
- Published: 5 Feb 2013 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: Life
The Carolina Chocolate Drops emerged from the almost-forgotten tradition of African-American Piedmont fiddling a couple of years ago with an album, Genuine Negro Jig, that deftly blended jigs, reels, string band and 19th century African-American music, blues, country and Americana. The band won a Grammy for the album that sounded both traditional and modern.
It's always difficult following up a hugely successful album. Record companies often want an act to repeat the same successful formula, while the musicians may want to take the music in a different direction.
The Drops, along with old-time/new wave blues band Hazmat Modine, are among a group of bands revisiting the roots of "old-time" American music, reinterpreting and reinventing the music as they go along.
This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.
